Does anyone know anything about the end stages of liver failure and how long a patient has left?

I wonder if he will be well enough to fly? I nursed on a palliative care unit and there are so many variables involved in trying to predict how long a patient has to live. If he has a strong heart and healthy lungs? or did he smoke all those years, too? Surely the doctor would give your mother some answers. What a bad time for you, I’m sorry.

@faye – yeah the flying thing is a concern for me. My Mother is not really keeping me informed to the degree I would like her too. Apparently she is trying to protect my feelings. I only found out that he had gone into hospital again this weekend as a result of me calling her and asking about him on a non-related issue. She said she didn’t want to spoil my weekend and didn’t want me to come rushing down when it may not be as bad as they think! Grrr :(

I feel like my feelings are being spared at the price of being fully informed. I will attempt to get information from the doctors tomorrow… hopefully they will talk to me over the phone about it.

My unit has phones for the patients and a cordless phone for people in double rooms. Can you talk directly to him? My very beloved friend died if liver failure. He became confused but was aware enough to ask his daughters not to hook him up. He only lived about 2 mos after he found out. It is the build up of ammonia in the brain tissues that causes confusion, so you can understand why that would be near the end.

@faye – I will likely be able to talk to him but he down plays things to avoid worrying me. I would appreciate more communication and honestly from my parents about this just certainly understand their feelings of “need” to protect me. Although I am 25, they will always see my as their wee girl I think.

If the doctors discharge him (he apparantly discharged himself the last time and told my mother that he was fine), will they advise if air travel is safe?

I know some of our patients had to have a letter from their doctor saying it was okay for them to fly. I always wonder why they tell the airline anything. Can’t you just get on?

I think you should go to him this year. They may not even let him on the plane if he is that sick. These are hard times. You will not forgive yourself if you don’t get there in time.
I am so sorry you are going through this.

Ask his permission for you to speak to his doctors.They’ll probably need it in writing, but once it’s in place, you can stay updated with accurate information and the best answers they can provide.

Thanks guys. I called the hospital this morning and spoke to his nurse. She said that the doctors are impressed with how well he has bounced back over the weekend. He has gone from Seriously Ill status to Independent.

She put me through to speak to him but he wasn’t in his bed so I will try again later this morning. I’m really hoping he can make it up as he loves his grandson (Shpanky, and yes he is a dog but our son none the less) and was really looking forward to seeing Shpanky and staying at our house as it is rural and peaceful.

Only time will tell at this stage. The good news is that the nurse said he will definitely make it to Christmas if he remains drink free.